Get ready to bust your gut with this 5 part workout series that targets your upper & lower abs! This exercise program is a 5 day program to set those abs on fire and put you on the road to where you want to be.
You can start on a Monday and end the program on a Friday, if you wish, or complete it on any day that you would like-as long as you do the workouts in a consecutive row. For example, workout #1 on Monday, workout #2 on Tuesday, workout #3 on Wednesday, and so forth.
Directions: Complete the following exercises for 3 sets of the prescribed amount of reps.
++ Workout One ++
10 Russian Twists
• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
• Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don’t let it curve.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
• Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right.
• This completes one rep.
20 Leg Lifts
• Lie on a flat surface with your lower back curvature pressed against the surface. Hold on to a fixed and sturdy object behind you (such as one of the beams from a squat rack) or you can just have your arms by your side with the palms facing the floor. Your feet should be straight in front of you and the upper torso should be aligned with the arms behind you holding on to the fixed object.
• Raise your legs to where they are off the floor. This will be your starting position.
• Raise your legs until the torso makes a 90-degree angle with the legs. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second or so.
• Go back slowly to the starting position as you breathe in.
30 Oblique V-Ups
• Lie on your right side, legs angled 30 degrees from your hips.
• Put your left hand behind your head.
• Lift your straight legs off the floor, bringing your torso toward your legs
• Slowly return to start. That’s one rep.
40 Reverse Crunches
• Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
• Bring the knees in towards the chest until they’re bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
• Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Lower and repeat.
• It’s a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.
50 Second Plank
• Start off on a yoga mat in the pushup position. Starting with the pushup position is the easiest way to get into the plank.
• Lower both your forearms to the ground so that both your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Your palms should be balled up, and directly underneath your shoulders.
• Curl your toes under and engage your abs by tilting your pelvis and pulling your belly button toward your spine.
• Straighten your body but keep your neck and spine neutral. Imagine that you’re a plank of wood, and that you’re straight as an arrow.
• Flex your abdominals and squeeze your glutes. These are the two major muscle groups you’ll be working out in this exercise.
• Hold this position, also known as the plank, for 60 seconds. Keep your eyes on the floor in front of you. Avoid raising your behind. Your body should make a straight line from your heels to the back of your head.
++ Workout Two ++
10 Bicycle Crunches
• Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground and contract your core muscles.
• With your hands gently holding your head, lift your knees to about a 45-degree angle.
• Slowly, at first, go through a bicycle pedal motion.
• Alternately touching your elbows to the opposite knees as you twist back and forth.
20 Scissor Lifts
• Raise both legs toward the ceiling.
• Keeping them straight, lower your left leg until it’s about six inches off the floor.
• Grasp the back of your right leg, gently pulling it toward you.
• Switch legs and repeat on other side, back and forth.
30 Windshield Wipers
• Place a mat on the floor and lie on on your back with your arms in the “T” position for stability.
• Lift your legs so that they are perpendicular to the floor and rotate your hips, keeping them in contact with the floor, so that your legs move from left to right, in a “windshield wiper” motion.
• Make sure to move in a slow and controlled manner.
40 Mountain Climbers
• Start the exercise by lying face down on the floor.
• Straighten out your arms and then touch your knees down to the ground or floor.
• Now you are ready to lift yourself up into position. When doing this, be sure that your hands are directly under your chest at a width that is slightly more than your shoulder length distance.
• Once you have settled into position and checked the position of your hands you should be sure to keep your legs stretched out, ensuring that they are properly lined up with the rest of your body. Pay special attention to your knees as many people tend to create a gap here but that should be avoided. If the recommended position is uncomfortable for you, it is alright to modify it slightly as long as you maintain the correct posture.
• Now you should stretch out your left leg for stability. Bend your right knee and bring it up in the direction of your right hand. At this point, you should be in a similar position to the one you would be in if you were climbing a mountain or tree (hence the name) except horizontal instead of vertical.
• After bringing your right knee up, return it to the original position and do the previous step with your left leg. (Once again, bend the left knee and bring it up towards the left hand mimicking the actions of a mountain climber)
50 Russian Twists
• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
• Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don’t let it curve.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
• Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right.
• This completes one rep.
++ Workout 3 ++
10 Plank to Elbows (each side)
• Begin in the top of a pushup position with hands directly beneath your shoulders.
• Tighten your abs and bring one knee to the outside of the same arm, pausing for a moment before straightening the leg back behind you.
• Keep the leg elevated and repeat the movement.
20 Mountain Climbers
• Start the exercise by lying face down on the floor.
• Straighten out your arms and then touch your knees down to the ground or floor.
• Now you are ready to lift yourself up into position. When doing this, be sure that your hands are directly under your chest at a width that is slightly more than your shoulder length distance.
• Once you have settled into position and checked the position of your hands you should be sure to keep your legs stretched out, ensuring that they are properly lined up with the rest of your body. Pay special attention to your knees as many people tend to create a gap here but that should be avoided. If the recommended position is uncomfortable for you, it is alright to modify it slightly as long as you maintain the correct posture.
• Now you should stretch out your left leg for stability. Bend your right knee and bring it up in the direction of your right hand. At this point, you should be in a similar position to the one you would be in if you were climbing a mountain or tree (hence the name) except horizontal instead of vertical.
• After bringing your right knee up, return it to the original position and do the previous step with your left leg. (Once again, bend the left knee and bring it up towards the left hand mimicking the actions of a mountain climber)
30 Second Flutter Kicks
• Start by lying flat on your back on a mat with your arms by your sides and your palms down.
• Extend your legs fully out with a slight bend in your knees.
• Lift your heels about 6-12 inches off the floor.
• Make small, rapid up and down scissor-like motions with your legs. The key is to focus on having your midsection do all the work and to keep your abs constantly contracted throughout the exercise.
40 Second Supermans
• Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
• Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated “u” shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
• Hold for 40 seconds and lower back down.
50 Heel Touches (each heel)
• Lay down with your back on the ground and your knees bent and pointed towards the ceiling.
• With your arms on your side raise your shoulders slightly off the ground.
• Using your abs rotate your right hand down to your right foot and then back up.
• Then do the same thing with your left hand.
• Alternate back and forth for the desired amount of repetitions.
++ Workout Four ++
10 Windshield Wipers
• Place a mat on the floor and lie on on your back with your arms in the “T” position for stability.
• Lift your legs so that they are perpendicular to the floor and rotate your hips, keeping them in contact with the floor, so that your legs move from left to right, in a “windshield wiper” motion.
• Make sure to move in a slow and controlled manner.
20 Long Arm Crunches
• Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
• Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
• Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
• Lower and repeat.
30 Russian Twists
• Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your heels about a foot from your butt.
• Lean slightly back without rounding your spine at all. It is really important, and difficult, to keep your back straight, but don’t let it curve.
• Place your arms straight out in front of you with your hands one on top of the other. Your hands should be level with the bottom of your ribcage.
• Pull your navel to your spine and twist slowly to the left. The movement is not large and comes from the ribs rotating, not from your arms swinging. Inhale through center and rotate to the right.
• This completes one rep.
40 Plank with Knees to Elbows (each side)
• Begin in the top of a pushup position with hands directly beneath your shoulders.
• Tighten your abs and bring one knee to the outside of the same arm, pausing for a moment before straightening the leg back behind you.
• Keep the leg elevated and repeat the movement.
50 Supermans
• Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
• Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated “u” shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
• Hold for 40 seconds and lower back down.
++ Workout Five ++
10 Reverse Crunches
• Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
• Bring the knees in towards the chest until they’re bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
• Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Lower and repeat.
• It’s a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.
20 Second Flutter Kicks
• Start by lying flat on your back on a mat with your arms by your sides and your palms down.
• Extend your legs fully out with a slight bend in your knees.
• Lift your heels about 6 inches off the floor.
• Make small, rapid up and down scissor-like motions with your legs. The key is to focus on having your midsection do all the work and to keep your abs constantly contracted throughout the exercise.
30 Heel Touches (each heel)
• Lay down with your back on the ground and your knees bent and pointed towards the ceiling.
• With your arms on your side raise your shoulders slightly off the ground.
• Using your abs rotate your right hand down to your right foot and then back up.
• Then do the same thing with your left hand.
• Alternate back and forth for the desired amount of repetitions.
40 Oblique V-Ups
• Lie on your right side, legs angled 30 degrees from your hips.
• Put your left hand behind your head.
• Lift your straight legs off the floor, bringing your torso toward your legs
• Slowly return to start. That’s one rep.
50 Second Plank
• Start off on a yoga mat in the pushup position. Starting with the pushup position is the easiest way to get into the plank.
• Lower both your forearms to the ground so that both your elbows and fists are flat to the ground. Your palms should be balled up, and directly underneath your shoulders.
• Curl your toes under and engage your abs by tilting your pelvis and pulling your belly button toward your spine.
• Straighten your body but keep your neck and spine neutral. Imagine that you’re a plank of wood, and that you’re straight as an arrow.
• Flex your abdominals and squeeze your glutes. These are the two major muscle groups you’ll be working out in this exercise.
• Hold this position, also known as the plank, for 60 seconds. Keep your eyes on the floor in front of you. Avoid raising your behind. Your body should make a straight line from your heels to the back of your head.
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